Su Jiao returned to his courtyard.

He was a wreck. His fine robes, streaked with grime and sweat, were ruined cloth. His face had traces of fists and punches. He took off his torn clothes and stepped into a hot bath. He used his spiritual Qi to heal his injuries. 

If it's keeps going, I’ll have to run away from the manor, he thought. “I need to come up with a good excuse,” he muttered. After cleaning himself and changing, he collapsed onto his bed. He craved the sweet oblivion of sleep.

But his plans were cut short.

Soon, Su Wei strolled into the room, unannounced. He carried a gourd of fine wine. He stopped, his sharp eyes taking in Su Jiao's battered face, and clicked his tongue.

"What happened to you?" Su Wei asked. "You look like a dead fish without any water."

From his bed, Su Jiao shot him a venomous glare. "Shut up. Why are you even here? Don't you have work to do?"

"I was free," Su Wei said simply. He placed the wine on a table with a soft thud and settled into a chair. His sigh was one of genuine relaxation. "I finished my work. I’m not cultivating today, so I thought I'd hang out since it's been a while."

"Good for you," Su Jiao grumbled, not moving an inch. "But I'm not joining you. I'm exhausted from the morning training session. I still have to work on my Thunder Talismans. I used them every day. It takes soul energy and immense concentration to create them. I need to relax my heart before that."

"I see." Su Wei's expression was unsympathetic. "But I don't care." He casually took a small, silver coloured disk from his storage ring. A high-tier, second-grade artifact designed to temporarily seal a cultivator’s Qi flow.

Su Jiao's brows knitted together as he sat up instantly, feeling something was wrong.

"Hey! What are you doing?" he yelped. Before he could take any action, the disk shone with silver light, emitting a few symbols. Su Jiao felt his Qi not responding as the light enveloped him. “What is this?” His gaze turned fierce from confusion. "Why are you doing this? Su Wei, I swear I'll pay you back for this!" His protests were useless. With spiritual Qi, he was lifted into the air like a balloon; Su Wei took him out like that.

"Let go! Where are you even taking me?" Su Jiao shouted, trying to hold onto something.

His loud voice echoed across the tranquil gardens as Su Wei dragged him along the pebbled paths. Servants working nearby averted their eyes with knowing smiles. They were used to the antics of the clan's young masters.

In the very courtyard they were headed for, Su Ting sat in quiet thought.

He turned a strange, dark rock over in his hands. He’d found it in the secret realm where Yue Mei had saved him. It was round, heavier than it looked, and a lot larger than his palm. Its surface was rough and pitted, strangely warm to the touch. He had been studying it for hours, but he found nothing.

His frown finally relaxed. He let out a soft sigh. "Forget it. I'll just ask Yue Mei about it later. Her knowledge of rare items should be better than Big Brother's." He carefully placed the mysterious rock back into its box.

Just then, a message arrived from a servant. Leaving his seclusion chamber, he found two unexpected visitors in his guest room.

"Wow, what a surprise," Su Ting said, a genuine smile lighting his face. "What brings you two here?"

"I'm being forced! By him!" Su Jiao burst out. He pointed an accusing finger at Su Wei, who stood beside him looking entirely calm with the situation. "Su Ting, explain my condition! Tell him I'm too tired and need to make talismans! Ask him to remove this seal!"

"Cousin Wei, what are you planning?" Su Ting asked. His expression was puzzled but amused.

Su Wei stood up from his chair. "A friend of mine, Liu Fan, needs some company this afternoon. He's planning to court a lady and thinks it will look good. I owe him a favor for his help in the past few months when Su Feng was away."

Su Ting nodded, the picture becoming clear. "Well, I'm fine with it. Sounds interesting. Let's go."

"But I didn't agree to this!" Su Jiao protested, shaking his head. "Su Ting, say something."

"You're overacting," Su Wei said with a dismissive wave. "It's just for a few hours. You won't die."

"Yeah, why are you acting like that?" Su Ting chimed in. "We haven't hung out together outside the manor like this for a long time. It'll be fun."

"Easy for you to say," Su Jiao muttered under his breath. "It's not you who is getting beaten up every morning." He let out a defeated sigh and followed them.

The trio left the inner courtyards. Near the main gates, another young man was waiting. He was of average height and had a friendly, unremarkable face. His long hair was tied back simply. He wore a plain gray robe.

"Liu Fan, sorry, I brought these two as well. It won't be a problem for you, right?" Su Wei greeted him with a nod.

The young man bowed respectfully to the three young masters. "No, it's good. Thank you all for coming."

Liu Fan was the son of a Guest Elder, a position that gave him respect and entry into the clan's inner circle but kept him outside the clan's core circle. Together, the group left the Su Manor. They made their way through the bustling streets of Liyun City to their destination: the Whispering Pavilion.

The pavilion was a grand, three-story building. It was made of dark wood and green marble, situated in a quiet part of the city. From its open balconies, one could see the distant mountains. Soft zither music and quiet chatter filled the air, mixed with the smell of fine tea.

Liu Fan led them to a private room.

Inside, four young cultivators were already waiting. They rose to their feet the moment the door slid open. Their expressions showed a mixture of awe and nervousness.

Liu Fan stepped aside. "Allow me to introduce the Jia Clan of Fenglin City. This is Jia Ming, and his cousin, Jia Fei."

The two young men bowed low. Jia Ming, the elder, looked serious and calculating. His body was stiff as he tried to appear worthy. Jia Fei was leaner. His sharp eyes darted around, taking in every detail—the clothes, the people.

"And this," Liu Fan continued, his voice softening, "is Jia Lin, and her younger sister, Jia Rou." Their aunt was married to the patriarch of the Zai clan in Liyun City, giving their clan a fragile but important connection here.

Jia Lin gave a graceful curtsy. She was confident, her smile polite but measured. Her sister, Jia Rou, was the one Liu Fan liked. She was a quieter person. Her face was flushed, and she clutched a small silk fan, avoiding everyone's gaze.

"It is a profound honor to meet the young masters of the Su Clan," Jia Ming said. His voice was a little too loud.

"No need for such formality." Su Ting's easy smile put the room at ease. "We're all here as Liu Fan's friends. Please, sit."

They settled around the table. The three Su cousins took the best seats, the ones with the view of the lake. Su Wei sat at the head. Liu Fan took a spot beside Jia Rou, while the others arranged themselves opposite.

Jia Ming cleared his throat. "We of the Jia Clan have heard much about the prestige of the Su Clan. To share a table with you today… it is our good fortune." He quickly produced a small, brocaded box. "It is a small token, but we wanted to show our gratitude, Young Masters. A five-hundred-year-old Frost Ginseng from our mountains. Please, accept it."

Su Wei held up a hand. His expression was polite but distant. "Brother Jia, the thought is appreciated. But you are here as Liu Fan's guests. We can't take gifts from guests. Put it away. Let us give you a taste of our city's top cuisines." He then signaled to an attendant. "Bring the 'Four Seasons Harmony' platter and a few bottles of pure Cloud Mist wine."

Jia Ming’s hand paused over the box before he pulled it back. A flicker of disappointment crossed his face, quickly hidden by a grateful smile.

The exquisite dishes soon arrived, their aroma gently wafting through the air. Su Ting and Su Jiao, both naturally outgoing, eased into conversation with their casual attitude.

“So, you’ve already had the chance to see the best our city has to offer over the past two weeks,” Su Jiao said with a pleasant smile.

Su Ting glanced over with mild curiosity. “Tell me—who from the Zai Clan accompanied you on this tour? Perhaps I know them.”

Su Wei stayed mostly silent. He watched them with a curious and calculating gaze.

Jia Fei tried to engage him as well. "Young Master Su Wei, I've heard you have connections with the many merchant association. Truly remarkable."

Su Wei simply took a sip of tea. "Hmm, it's just my work," he replied. The conversation was over.

"Young Master Su Jiao," Jia Lin said with a graceful smile, her tone carrying a hint of admiration. "I have heard that you can already craft second-grade, middle-tier talismans? In our city, such talent is unheard of."

Su Jiao's chest puffed out. A proud grin spread across his face. "Haha! You are correct! I'm actually a genius," he said. He had been feeling low because of the constant beating in his training, but now his heart felt excited and happy to hear praises. Jia Lin suddenly became more appealing to his eyes. “Let me tell you another secret, I will be able to create a high-tier talisman soon."

"Sure, sure. I just realized you were so gifted,” Su Wei said with a soft smile on his lips, but his eyes told a different story. Su Jiao's boast died in his throat. He coughed, suddenly fascinated by the good Cloud Mist wine.